


Her Little Girl

by gioconda133



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-24
Updated: 2014-12-13
Packaged: 2018-02-22 10:19:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2504288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gioconda133/pseuds/gioconda133
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the second curse Regina wakes up in Storybrooke, but she finds something/someone she hadn't expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for all the mistakes/misspelling (English isn't my first language), hope you'll like it.

The last thing she remembered was giving Henry and Emma new memories and deactivating the curse. The curse which was supposed to bring her happy ending. And now she was standing in the borders of Storybrooke and saying goodbye to her only source of happiness - her son. But it was the only way to make everyone safe and that was the most important thing in the moment, even if it meant that her son would lose every memory about her and she will never see him again. 'All magic comes with the price' she thought.

And then the most unpredictable thing happened. She woke up, which wasn't strange at all. But she woke up in her bedroom in Storybrooke, the one that was supposed to vanish from the earth in the moment when she transported everyone to the Enchanted Forest. And it wasn't all. The sound that woke her up was the most surprising. It was the sound she hasn't heard in 12 years time - baby's cry. When she stood up she saw new furniture in her room, it was a beautiful wooden cradle. And inside it a baby, as she could tell a newborn. She picked it up and the baby immediately stopped crying. It was a very little beautiful girl with deep blue eyes and black hair. The other feature of the baby was a distinctive smirk.

She wasn't the only one surprised citizen of Storybrooke. After making sure that the baby was fine and asleep she went to see if anything had changed in the city. She would have taken the baby with her but besides the cradle she didn't have anything connected to the baby like clothes or stroller. The first place she went to was Snow's apartment. When she saw her the only thing she could do was to laugh.

"What are you laughing at?" asked Snow.

"I can see that last year was really productive in Enchanted Forest" she said and chuckled again.

"What do you mean? And wait, a year? How do you know?" questioned her step-daughter

"Let me take you to my house, it may answer some of your questions" said Regina with mysterious voice. She was quite happy that they were going back to her house because she already started to worry about the little girl in the cradle in her bedroom.

************

"She is adorable" said Snow with her sickly sweet voice. "Yours?"

"The thing is that I have no idea" said Regina with sadness in her voice and looked at Her Little Girl. The truth was that she really wanted the girl to be hers. She knew her for only few hours but already got to love her. There was something in that child that was telling her she could be her daughter.

"There is only one way to find out" told her Snow. "We're not longer in the Enchanted Forest. This is the land of many technologies. You can do DNA test" encouraged her step-daughter. And she listened to her. Few minutes later they were in their way to the hospital. When they got there all eyes was on them. It wasn't strange in any way, well Snow was very pregnant and Regina was holding a big basket with a little baby inside.

"I can see we have a babyboom here in Storybrooke" said Whale and looked suspiciously at Regina, like he was wondering whose child she had stolen in her "Henry mourning madness"

"Ha ha, very funny" said Regina "I want to find parents of that baby, I found her today morning in my bedroom"

"And you still want to check that? Isn't that obvious?" asked shocked doctor

"I want to make sure" added the mayor "And I have the last question. Can I be with her during all of this?"

"Of course, legally speaking as long as we don't find her parents you have custody over this child." told her Whale "Mary Margaret, would you like to be with them?" he asked Snow who was now talking with a nurse.

"No, I think I may have my own questions" she answered and pointed at her belly.

"Ok, so let's go" said Whale and showed Regina the direction they were going.

After half an hour all basic test were finished and the mayor already knew that the girl is perfectly healthy and is almost two weeks old. For the most important she had to wait until next day.

When she was going home with Her Little Girl she couldn't think of anything else than the fact that she really wanted her to be her daughter. Especially after she lost Henry forever. Funny thing was that she hasn't even thought about the name and "Her Little Girl" sounded in her head just right, like it always was meant to be her name. She wasn't one of the girls who as the teenagers was making up a list of ridiculous names for their children. Having a mother like Cora she was thinking of not having children at all. The name for Henry came spontaneous and so natural that no one would argue about it. On the way she decided to buy some clothes and baby carrier. Even if this wasn't her child she wanted it to have something to wear and since she was wrapped only in the blanket and was sleeping in the big basket, which was quite cute but she wanted her girl to have the best things.

********************

She almost hasn't slept that night. Not because of the child, on the contrary Her Little Girl was quiet and slept like angel. It was Regina who almost panicked at the thought that she might not be hers. So only after the alarm clock beeped she was ready to exit the house with her girl and headed to the hospital.

"Do you have the result?" she asked Whale without even saying "Good morning"

"Yes, I do" answered the doctor with peace in his voice. It was visible that he was gloating that for once he has power over miss mayor.

"And?"

"She is definitely yours" he said and it was enough for Regina to send him one of her most beautiful smiles "But unfortunately I wasn't able to find out who is the father. Probably anyone from the recent curse because I have genetic material from most of them" That information made Regina curious about it.

'So who the hell had I slept with?' she asked herself.

***

The next day all Storybrooke was talking about one thing: Regina's daughter. To avoid glances from everyone at Her Little Girl she left her with Snow and went to do the most needed shopping like baby clothes and car seat for the toddler. She was lucky not to bump to the most gossiping people in town so her shopping went in peace. Few hours later she was in Charmings apartment with many bags of clothes in almost every color (she just couldn't imagine her daughter wearing pink clothes). The first thing she had done was to hold Her Little Girl. She had known her for just few days but she already loved her with all her heart. And in that exact moment the child sent her a little smile. It was as cute as infant's smile can be. Charmings looked at her with such joy, they were happy she finally found her little happy ending (they knew that her big happy ending required Henry and mysterious father of her daughter).

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here we go, next chapter, have a nice read! (I used some of original dialogues from the episode, as you may guess each chapter is each episode)

Next day was supposed to be the big test for Regina. She decided to be brave enough to show Her Little Girl to the rest of Storybrooke citizens, so she wore her daughter in beautiful red onesie and they both headed to the Granny's. When they got there they got everyone's attention. Ruby was the first person near them. She started making weird sounds and faces in exchange with' awww's.

"Ruby, it's enough" told her Regina "I don't think you want my daughter to think that you are half-wit"

After she told that everyone could see a triumphant smile on her lips. She was glad that her sassiness didn't disappear along with her Evil Queen mood. She put her baby carrier on the bar and ordered herself a coffee. After all that happened she needed a cup of strong one. She just started drinking it when she heard two voices she was supposed not to ear ever again - Emma's and Henry's. In that exact moment she dropped the cup on the floor and it broke into hundred little pieces.

Then Her Little Girl started crying and all eyes was focused on her. Among others - Henry's. But he looked at her with emptiness and some kind of nervousness about crying baby. Then she realized that he still didn't remember her.

"Regina, we need to talk" said Emma. She even didn't notice when she stood up and went towards her.

"Oh, yes, we do, Miss Swan" answered madam mayor with as much peace in voice as she could manage. She took her baby carrier and went to the corridor in the back of Granny's. Emma looked at her with shock but decided not to comment anything until they weren't alone.

"He looked right through me" said Regina with so much pain and with eyes full of tears ready to stream down her cheeks.

"Because he doesn't remember you" answered Emma. Mayor was ready for that statement but there was still one thing she didn't understand.

"But you clearly do" it was almost whisper, but still her voice was full of pain. "Why are you here?"

"Storybrooke, a new curse, missing year, why you think?"

'I think you're an idiot' thought Regina but completely different words escaped her mouth.

"No, what I mean is how did you know to come back? I gave you and Henry a new life, new memories" there was still so many things she didn't understand. 'Why 'the saviour' remembered and Henry didn't?'

"Hook found me"

Of course, the handless wonder. Ready to go through hell and back to get to his beloved Emma.

"He gave me the potion that made me remember," continued Emma "there wasn't enough for Henry"

"How convenient"

'So now she's going to have explanation: sorry there wasn't enough for him, so he is my son?'

"Look, I didn't cast this curse if that's what you're thinking.." she had to make it believable. It was the only chance to get closer to Henry, trigger his memories about her as his mother.

"Thought has crossed my mind" answered Emma. Was she really that stupid to think that she had any intentions in forgetting past year? Especially now when she had a daughter with mysterious man she slept with during last year?

"Why would I do this? Why would I erase entire year of my life? As you can see I have a daughter. And yes, she's mine. I don't even know who the father is so I would repeat my question: why?"

"Maybe this was a bad year for you, maybe this man was violent and you wanted to get rid of that memory and him in your daughter's life, maybe this curse was your way for me to get Henry back here"

"With no memory of me?" these accusations were just ridiculous "If I wanted my son back do you think I'd put myself through this kind of torture? I cast curses to hurt other people, not myself"

'Ok, that sounded like a warning' thought Emma

"Maybe so, but I have to start crossing people off the list"

"How?" asked Regina "By walking around and using your superpower on everyone?"

"Have you got any better idea?"

It's going to be very hard, co-working with the saviour, taking care of Her Little Girl and trying to make Henry remember.

**********

They came up with the plan. And she needed to left Her Little Girl with the Charmings again.

"Hey, my princess" she spoke with so delicate voice that anyone who would hear her wouldn't recognize the harshness of Evil Queen tone in it. She took her in her arms and started explaining her the whole situation "Mummy is going to meet with some people and they aren't going to like mummy for a little while. I will live you with auntie Snow and I know that she's fond of you so she's going to take care of you. Later I invite you to your older brother, did you know you have one, princess?" she was so delicate and tender towards her daughter. " Unfortunately he doesn't know you're his sister, but don't worry, he will know." Although she was just two weeks old she seemed to be a very smart toddler. Her eyes looked so understanding and Regina again started to wonder who was her daughter's father, because she was sure she wouldn't forget that specific color of eyes.

She fed Her Little Girl, changed her diaper and they both headed to Charmings apartment.

**********

Their trick went easier than she thought. Every citizen believed that she was responsible of casting this curse. It was sad because she was completely different person than she used to be in the past. Present Regina was on her way of redemption and non-believing people wasn't giving her much hope.

She was in her office with Emma unsuccessfully trying to replicate memory potion savior has given her, but things weren't going the way they were supposed to go. She used all the liquid and it didn't work. She had more than one motivation for it. First and the most important was Henry, second was her daughter, this time she wanted to have someone who would help her in raising up the baby, especially when it wasn't adopted child, it was her own daughter whose father must have been close to her, because she doesn't sleep with random guys.

"Regina..." Emma started their conversation

"Yes, Miss Swan?"

"I'm really sorry, I wish Hook gave me more of the potion. I know it's hard for you that Henry doesn't remember you, that you don't know who you have child with.."

"It's neither your fault nor your business, so I suggest you to take care of your own life" answered Regina harshly. Deep in her heart she knew that Emma's help was something she needed but she couldn't show she was vulnerable.

"Sorry, didn't mean to piss you off.." Emma said and tried to change the subject. "What if we can still catch the person who cursed the town?"

'Is she an idiot?' Regina thought.

"I can't make any more potion!"

"You don't have to make anything. We can still catch the person" Emma was more and more intriguing.

"How?"

"We've been running a con by making this potion in secret. What if we're running a wrong con?"

"I'm sorry. I'm not well in phasing con. Unlike you, I never spent time in prison"

"No, that has nothing to do with prison. It’s an old bail bondsman’s trick. You smoke out the perp by making them think you’re on them."

"How does that help us?" Regina felt whatever the plan was it might work.

"If the person who cast the curse starts worrying we're about to make a memory potion..." Emma couldn't even continue

"They wanna stop us" "Yes, and then we set a trap on them when they do. We just need to get the word out that you're close to manage all this work."

"I know just who to tell" said Regina with a face that let Emma know that the mayor had a plan.

**********

She knew that telling Leroy was wonderful idea. He was always the first to inform all of the citizens about what's going on in Storybrooke. Again she had so short amount of time to spend with Her Little Girl. She and Emma supposed that that evening someone would pay the visit in her office so they needed to be nearby. She already protected the room with blood magic, but they needed to be there to catch the person. She arranged their meeting with Emma in few hours so she had some time to spend with her daughter. She was different than Henry, not because of the different sex, although she was only two weeks she seemed to understand everything that was going on around her, she felt people's emotions towards her. When Regina held her she immediately stopped crying, she knew her mother loved her and would never hurt her. It was something similar to Emma's superpower.

"Hello again little girl" said Regina when she picked up her daughter at Charmings' apartment. Her eyes were almost glowing with happiness.

"She missed you" told her Snow "Somehow she knew you weren't around. She was as lovely as she could be, but she was sad, and now when you came for her she smiles."

"She's my daughter, of course se missed me!" Regina told her, trying her voice to sound harsh "Oh, I missed you too" whispered Regina into her daughter's ear and gave her a soft kiss in the forehead. "Now, if you excuse us, we're going to spend time alone in our house" she said and left the Charmings' apartment with baby carrier in her hand.

On the way home she looked at Her Little Girl from time to time and wondered how could she even live when she wasn't born yet. She was so precious little human. And now she wanted to use every opportunity to spend with her as much time as she could. So as soon as they reached the mayor's mansion she took her in her arms and went to the living room.

"So, tonight mommy is going on the mission with Emma. Your brother would call it Operation-something, but I'm not as good in making up that kind of things. I hope you will be a good girl, I know you will, and when we end this case I will have plenty of time to spend with you. No one would tear us apart. And maybe later I'll find out who your father is" when she said word 'father' her daughter's eyes shined. She was sure that if this little girl could speak she would encourage her to do that so that her family would be complete. "I think we should go on a tour over Storybrooke. I'm sure you'd like to get to know rest of the citizens and maybe you will find someone familiar, my smart little girl."

After that she put her to bed hoping she won't wake up until she came back. She didn't want her to spend another hour at Charmings', truth be told she was afraid her girl would get used to them more than to her. Few minutes later she was ready to go out and meet Emma so they could defeat their enemy.

*********

Few hours later she was at home. Things went the way they weren't supposed to. It turned out that their enemy was much more powerful than they thought, whoever it was had strong enough magic to break blood magic and escape Regina office before she and Emma had a chance to look at them. And that wasn't the plan, the plan was to capture them and have peace, the plan was to spend all next days with her daughter and don't worry about any other villain. It was one of many moments when Regina thought she didn't deserve happiness.

But then she looked at the cradle where her daughter peacefully slept and all her doubts went away. She already had her happiness and she knew that it wouldn't be that easy to take it away from her this time. So she took the baby carrier and went to Charmings' apartment where she was supposed to meet Henry, she decided she was ready for it.

Few minutes later they were there. The white decorated flat was fool of people, there were already the Charmings, Emma with her handless pirate and the most important - Henry.

But when Emma introduced her to him there was again this emptiness in his eyes which almost made her crying. But she needed to be strong, because if the tears started streaming down her face Henry would thing of her as some kind of crazy woman and secondly she couldn't let her daughter see her weakness (even if she was just few weeks old she was already very smart and understanding). So she just shook Henry's hand and let him play with his sister.

So when the boy went upstairs with the baby carrier Charming delivered her the most information of the evening - he knew who was their opponent and with that knowledge beating that person was going to be much easier. They were going to fight against the Wicked Witch of the West.


	3. Chapter 3

They already came up with the idea which would help them capture the Witch. She was happy about that and thanks to that she could spend some time with both her children. So she took Henry and Her Baby Girl to the tour around Storybrooke. Actually it was her first opportunity to do that with her daughter and not being exposed to the public, because for the time being everyone was busy with the Wicked Witch case.

  
"I propose to go for ice cream" Regina tried to start a conversation that won't discourage Henry "Here in Storybrooke we have the best ones"

  
"It sounds like a good idea" answered Henry with enthusiasm "It's a pity your daughter is so small and she can't eat with us"

  
She couldn't help but laughed at that words.

  
"Indeed she is" said Regina and looked at Her Little Girl with so much pride.

  
"I know it's a stupid question, but does she have a name? I never heard it."

  
'Oh hell, it's a very good question' thought Regina

  
"Actually she doesn't have any, yet." she answered him and blushed a little " I just couldn't find the proper one, none of the names I came up with wasn't suitable."

  
"It sounds reasonable" told her Henry trying to ound mature "Actually I wanted to ask you one question"

  
"Go on" encouraged him Regina.

  
"How do you know my mother? I've never heard of any of you or even this town. And now she seems to know you like forever"

  
"I might say we had few common fights in the past. And also we both loved a very special man, which eventually she won over."

  
"So you were enemies because of some guy?" Henry seemed shocked.

  
"Now it's past and I think I may say that I'm getting closer to reunite with him"

  
"Is he the father of your daughter?" Henry with every second was more and more interested with what the madam mayor was going to say.

  
"Oh, nothing like that. But definitely he's family"

  
The boy saw that there was no way he get more information from her so he decided to ask his mother about that later. Instead he changed the subject.

  
"Did you know that back in New York my mother was almost engaged?"

  
"No I didn't, but what do you mean almost?" now roles reversed and Regina seemed to be the one curious about what Henry was going to say.

  
"The guy she was dating for some time was planning to propose, but that very night she rejected him, and the next morning we were on the way here" explained her son "But the weirdest thing is that usually my mother has problem when I skip school for only one day and now we are here for who knows how long and it doesn't seems like I'm going to go to school anytime soon."

  
Regna felt proud. Who would think that miss Swan would be so responsible mother, but it was mainly her merit because she gave her the memories.

  
"If you were to stay here longer we have school here in Storybrooke" told him Regina, but he didn't seem enthusiastic , so she just decided to change the subject "Do you like your ice cream?" she asked

  
"It's delicious" she seemed content with his answer " In New York my mother used to take me for gelato in Little Italy, but ice cream here are just as good"

  
"Storybrooke's got its own charm, but it must be nothing comparing to the big city"

  
"It's nice, actually" told her Henry "New York is great, but it's so many people there it can make you feel..."

  
"Alone" Regina ended for him. "It's the best part of living in small town. Everybody knows everybody" she smiled at the stroller "Knows everything about each other, sometimes too much" this made Henry giggle "It feels almost like a family"

  
They walked some more minutes in silence. She even let him hold her daughter, who seemed to like him very second he touched her because the light smile could be seen on her face. And then they were supposed to go back. She left Henry at Granny's where he and his mother shared a room and went to the forest where Charming, Emma and Hook were supposed to be.

  
On the way she talked to her daughter "So that was your brother, I told you you'd like him and I can tell he already likes you. I think he will be very happy when he gets to know you're his sister" she was so proud of both of her children "And I think we should figure out your name My Little Girl". And with the grin she parked her car next to Emma's yellow bug.

  
When she got there everyone was already waiting for her. By their looks she could tell that something has happened and it definitely wasn't anything good.

  
"What's going on?" she asked

  
When Charming told her about the doppelganger who pictured his fears she knew what was going on.

  
"So, when is the sword?"

  
"It disappeared"

  
"It wasn't supposed to. When you fight your deepest fears your courage is captured in the weapon you fought them" she explained. "What exactly had happened?"

  
"When I killed that thing it disappeared in green smoke..." he didn't even finished because everyone already knew what happened.

  
"So this means she needs your courage. Whatever she is planning to do it isn't going to be pleasant."

  
"Why do you think so?" asked not very smart Savior

  
"Oh, because everyone just take someone's courage when they find it!" was she really that stupid?

  
"Why does she need my courage then?" enquired non-Charming

  
"First thing that comes to my mind is curse..." when she spoke that word her daughter started crying. Even she knew that it wasn't anything good. So Regina took her in her arms and tried to calm her down.

  
"Shh, my little princess. You're safe. Mommy won't let anyone bad near you. I promise" and she took her to the car and they went home.

  
It was a very long day and they both were very tired. After they entered home Regina placed her daughter in her own big bed. After everything that had happened she wanted to be sure she was safe, so she wanted to be as close as she could to protect her. She knew she won't hurt Her Little Girl and although she was so small she would be safe. Regina just lied on her side and watched her daughter sleeping. It was so calming view that she immediately felt asleep and dreamed about certain blue-eyed man. Unfortunately it was one of the many dreams we don't remember the next day, but did she really need to remember it?


	4. Chapter 4

It was very early in the morning when Emma called her. They were supposed to meet at Granny's to think of the plan how to find Rumple. She was happy Her Little Girl haven't started crying, because of the phone ring. She was also happy because she hadn't hurt her daughter in any way during the night. So she stood up careful not to wake up Her Little Girl and dressed herself in her usual mayoral clothes. Then when she heard her daughter quietly crying she took her in her arms and she immediately stopped, she knew she was safe and soon she will get whatever she wanted. Regina changed her diaper, gave her some milk and dressed her in beautiful blue onesie perfectly matching to her scarf she was planning to wear that day. They looked so adorable together. She already could see Snow's face when she would enter the diner and little smile appeared on her face. She didn't care, and most of all she was fully entitled to smile in this situation, because the little girl in her arms looking so similar to her was indeed her own daughter and she had every reason to be proud of it.  
When they entered Granny's everyone was already waiting for them. She was already used to being late so it wasn't anything unusual. Savior, her handless pirate, un-Charming and Snow were in the middle of conversation about planning how to find Gold who had predictably escaped witch's cage. They finally decided to go to pawn shop - maybe Belle had any idea where her "boyfriend" (that word wasn't a match to Rumple at all) might have been. Regina wanted to spend some time alone so she let the rest of them visit the shop and decided to look for the clues in the farmhouse. Besides she really liked walking with the stroller in silence so that she and her daughter could be alone.  
Of course they got there by car, but she hadn't stopped directly before the house. She wanted to walk so she parked the car around a mile from it. Weather was very nice so she couldn't see any contraindications.  
"So, my little princess, are you ready for a big adventure?" she asked her daughter.  
In answer her daughter's eyes lit up and she smiled a little. She was so beautiful. And then this moment was stopped. She heard some sounds coming from the bushes near the house.  
"Show yourself you winged freak!" she shouted, she was almost sure it was one of the flying monkeys she heard about from David. Second later the arrow flew through the air. Luckily she had good reflex and she caught it. She was really angry. Whoever it was could have killed her, or worse - her daughter.  
"Apologies, milady" she heard male's voice with British accent. "I thought you were the wicked witch"  
"And I thought you were a flying monkey" she answered with her sassiness  
"I do hope my mistake hasn't cost me my head" the mysterious man spoke again. "Your Majesty"  
"So, you know who I am" Regina didn't hide her surprise  
"Your reputation in the Enchanted Forest proceeds you" now she could see the man clearly. He was standing so close to her.  
"I didn't catch your name" she was getting more and more curious. She knew those eyes...  
"Robin of Locksley"  
'Oh, Robin Hood' she thought. She must have known him from the posters hanging near Snow's back in the Enchanted Forest.  
"At your service" he was such a gentleman.  
"A thief" she said and her little girl started cooing in her stroller. She almost forgot about her. Almost. There was something very distractive in that man.  
"Well as we're tossing labels, aren't you technically known as the Evil Queen" she liked him much and much with every word he had spoken. He was clearly flirting with her. And she was going to continue this game.  
"I prefer Regina" she simply answered. After all it was her name, from the very beginning, including the period when she was 'evil' she always had been Regina. "You think you can bring down the Wicked Witch with sticks?"  
"Well, I'm certainly going to try..." he was so certain of his abilities. Of course she had heard of his perfect aim, but it wasn't enough to fight the witch. At least not this one.  
"I'm afraid we're too late, she's long gone" she was really hoping he would just left her with her daughter where they stood. She was getting more and more attracted by that handsome thief and even her little girl seemed to smile at him from the stroller.  
"Well perhaps she left the trail" he answered. So he wasn't that easy to get rid of.  
"I was hoping the same thing" she finally gave up and went on with their flirting game.  
"Well, then you've got yourself a partner" 'Wait, what? A partner?' she thought  
"I... don't remember asking for one..." she was definitely shocked. Her thoughts almost made her blush, she somehow felt that he felt as attracted to her as she to him. But she couldn't let herself act like some crushed teenager. For the first time since this curse happened she thought that her maternity hormones are working in her.  
"You didn't" he simply answered. But his answer was full of charm, but not like Charming's charm, it was good kind of charm.  
"Just... don't get in my way" she didn't know why she said exactly these words, but she felt she had to and subconsciously she knew his answer  
"I wouldn't dream of it" she felt like it was deja vu.  
"Have... have we met before?" she was almost certain that his answer would be negative, but she had to ask. To tell the truth she was hoping it would be negative, because she was starting to think that maybe, just maybe he could be the man she was searching since she found out about her daughter.  
"I doubt I'd ever forget meeting you" and then she felt her cheeks burning. Luckily he started moving towards the house and her little girl started cooing again so she took her in her arms and softly kissed in the forehead. She was so pathetic, using her child to cover her blushed cheeks. "Unless of course during that pesky year no one can recall... Or we can find this witch, perhaps she can offer some insight into our lost memories"  
So she left the stroller outside and with the baby in arms she followed the attractive outlaw into the witch's farmhouse  
*******  
They had already spent more than an hour inside with any more knowledge about their opponent. At first they split up to look in every rooms faster, but the last one they decided to search in together.  
"Nothing useful here" said Regina looking at one of many jars. She almost didn't feel her arms. Her daughter was peaceful asleep and she just didn't have a heart to put her down.  
Her companion must have seen that because he asked "Can I hold her?". She didn't see any reason why he couldn't have done it so she gently passed Her Little Girl to the man's arms. Luckily she didn't wake up, she was as peaceful as always. It was quite weird because every time she was in somebody's arms for the first time she woke up or started quietly crying. And when Regina looked at them the picture was so right like they were supposed to be like that. Like her daughter was meant to lay in Robin's arms.  
"So none of these contain magic properties?" the man continued their previous conversation trying not to wake little girl.  
"Good witch covers her tracks, but the better one can uncover them" Regina said with mysterious voice. "We'll find her, just be patient"  
If she glanced at him right now she would see a man looking at her with so intensity that she certainly would come back to her teenage-mode.  
"You know, I've heard many stories about the great and terrible Evil Queen. But from this angle the 'evil' moniker seems some of the overstatement" little smile formed on her lips. He really was going to continue their flirtatious game "Bold and audacious, perhaps, but... not evil"  
"The name served me well" she explained not even trying to hide the grin on her face. "Fear is quite an effective tool"  
He started to close the distance between them. Regina was almost sure he was going to kiss her. He was so handsome at the moment. And then she looked down at her daughter safely lying in his arms and she was ready to return the kiss if it happened, but it didn't  
"What about this? Is this magical?" Robin showed her one of the bottles standing on the shelf  
"Not exactly" she thanked him and herself for not letting emotions take control over them. After all they had a job to do. But he held whiskey! Could he not know what's that? "But it is a liquid that can cause a courage, give strength or even act like a love potion of sorts" In that moment she gave him one of her most beautiful smiles. "It's called whiskey, and no, it's not magical. Especially the next day"  
"Oh" he seemed to understand and carefully put the bottle down trying not to wake up her daughter. And then he reached for two glasses.  
"You wanna have a drink? Now?" she seemed really shocked. "Considering the fact that you're holding an infant in your arms I don't think it's a good idea..."  
"Well, the last few days we've survived the curse, woken up in the entirely new realm, and forgotten a year of our lives. I'd say we've earned it. Do you?" he passed her little girl back to her. "I think she misses her mommy already" he was so proficient in that, almost like he had his own child. 'Or maybe she IS his child' she thought.  
He tucked his sleeves and started to pour the liquid into the glasses. When he passed one of them to her she saw it.  
THE TATTOO  
But not just the ordinary tattoo. It was the LION tattoo! Could this be real? She already felt the chemistry between them, but could it be that? He was prophesized to her. He was her soulmate. And then her daughter alarmed by her anxiety started crying. Regina take a deep breath and without a word exited the house.  
She really needed time to think and also to calm her daughter. Now her little girl seemed to miss the man they just left in witch's hide. It wasn't normal. She was usually very calm, even too calm as for that little child. But now even she, Regina, her mother who loved her more than anything (and her little girl knew that) couldn't stop her crying. She couldn't came back inside either. She put her daughter in the stroller and shushing her she went as fast as she could towards the car cursing herself for leaving it so far from the house.  
On the way home her daughter was crying all the time. The same was when they entered the mansion. It was the first time when Regina felt really helpless. She tried everything even made stupid faces (she was so glad no one had seen it). Hours passed and her daughter didn't seem to get any better. Regina wondered if it was even possible to cry so long.  
And then she came up with an idea. It seemed very stupid but was worth trying. She took her daughter in a baby carrier and went to the car. They drove few minutes but she already could tell it was helping. The closer to the forest they were the calmer her daughter became. It was like a miracle. Regina didn't fully understand it, but continued they journey. She parked her car where the trees were starting, took her daughter in her arms and started heading towards the merry men's camp. Her Little Girl was as calm as usual, just like today's crying episode never happened. But it did and Regina didn't quite understand why.  
They stood in the bushes so that people in the camp couldn't see them. She looked through the camp trying to find one particular man. And there he was. Robin was playing with a cute little boy. 'He would be so perfect father' thought Regina and immediately was angry at herself for that. She looked at her daughter who was tranquilly lying in her arms.  
"Oh, I understand you like Mr Robin, I must say I like him too" she whispered to her ear. "Very much" she felt blushing. "But promise me you won't start crying the moment we left this place. It's very nice here, but we can't just stay in the forest forever'' the little girl in her arms seemed to understand every word she had just spoken so Regina looked for the last time at the handsome outlaw and they went back home.


End file.
